Artisan Electric Inc.

In 2007, Jason Williams saw a problem. As a union journeyman electrician with years of residential and commercial experience in Seattle, he believed the emerging solar industry deserved better—installations done by real electricians, not subcontractors learning on the job. He founded Artisan Electric Inc. as a signatory IBEW Local 46 contractor and began building solar installations in the Puget Sound the right way. Starting out on Vashon Island, Williams hired professionally trained union electricians from the Local 46 hall and focused on designing and constructing the highest quality solar installations in what was then a fledgling industry. By 2013, after several years of steady growth, Artisan outgrew its island offices and relocated to a permanent headquarters in Seattle’s historic Georgetown neighborhood, where the company remains today. Artisan Electric stands apart as Western Washington’s only union solar installer, meaning every solar panel system and electrical upgrade is designed and installed exclusively by IBEW-licensed journeyman electricians and apprentices. This isn’t just a talking point—it’s a daily commitment to commercial-grade safety practices, apprenticeship training, and inspection pass rates that non-union shops struggle to match. For Seattle homeowners weighing bids, this means cleaner installs, fewer change orders, and installations backed by a 25-year workmanship and production guarantee. The company has installed over 1,500 residential and commercial solar arrays across the Puget Sound region, with total installed capacity surpassing 18 megawatts as of 2024. Artisan Electric is a full-service electrical contractor, which means they handle the complete scope of solar installation in Washington—from initial site assessments and customized energy modeling to panel upgrades, permitting, utility interconnection, battery storage integration, EV charging stations, and ongoing operations and maintenance. The company is one of the few Tesla Solar Roof Certified installers in Washington State and holds multiple NABCEP certifications, including PV Installation Professional, Energy Storage Installation Professional, and Technical Sales Professional credentials. They’re active members of NECA and the Washington Solar Energy Industries Association, and founder Jason Williams has testified before the Washington State Legislature and Seattle City Council on solar policy. What truly distinguishes this Seattle solar installer is the consultative, education-first approach. Artisan’s team models 20- to 25-year ROI using real Puget Sound utility rate structures, Washington’s sales tax exemptions, and local programs like PSE and TPU net metering and PSE Flex Batteries. Homeowners see transparent, line-item proposals that account for electrical upgrades, equipment differences, backup power capabilities, and monitoring—not discount bids with hidden compromises. The company’s core values center on environmental activism through business, union labor, and continuous improvement, and they’ve committed to ethical sourcing practices, including the Solar Industry Forced Labor Prevention Pledge.